When the cake rises to a point and collapses or when the cake crust cracks:

• The mixture was beaten too much.
• The batter was too stiff
• Ensure thorough mixing of ingredients by mixing to the bottom of the bowl
• The oven temperature was too high
• The cake tin was too deep
• Ingredients should be at room temperature, such as milk and eggs.
• To ensure an evenly risen cake the batter must be carefully spread to the sides of the tin
• The batter was too thin – too much liquid
• The proportions of sugar, fat, raising agent or liquid were too high.
• The oven temperature was too low or the oven door was opened too soon
• The cake could have been removed before it was cooked

When the top of the cake has a speckled crust:

• The sugar was too coarse and did not dissolve properly – the use of white sugar in place of castor sugar
• The mixture could have been overbeaten, causing the air bubbles to dry out on the surface.

Good luck with your flop-less baking!